The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has called for urgent intervention to upgrade the sub-standard weather stations across tertiary institutions in the country.Reason, he said his organisation is committed to ensuring that these facilities in higher institutions are upgraded to meet World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) standard, within a short period.

Director-General of the agency, who also doubles as Nigeria’s permanent representative at the WMO, Professor Sani Abubakar Mashi, speaking at the donation of weather station to the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, said findings revealed that weather stations across tertiary institutions needed urgent intervention to get to acceptable level.

Represented by a technical expert, Mashi hinted that the Agency had briefed the National Universities Commission (NUC) and secured its consent for the intervention in LAUTECH, saying, “we have made all necessary logistical arrangements to commence the installations, testing and training with immediate effect.”

He hoped LAUTECH would properly deploy the technology for a solid foundation for robust weather/climate monitoring network and development of critical infrastructure.Thanking NiMet for the gift, Vice-Chancellor, LAUTECH, Professor Adeniyi Gbadegesin, assured the equipment would be used and maintained for the purpose for which it was given.

Gbadegesin, a former President of the Association of Nigerian Geographers said LAUTECH as a university of technology places premium on adequate weather information, assuring that the dividend of the donation would become manifest in a very short time.